


Love hurts

by Kurohebi



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, M/M, Or not, Soulmates, Suicide, Unrequited Love, i think, not beta read we die like men, or bittersweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2019-12-25 10:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18259424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurohebi/pseuds/Kurohebi
Summary: When his soul words first appeared, at the age of 16, he hadn’t got a clue what will bring his soulmate to speak those cruel syllables to him. ‘I hate you’ It read, inside of his right wrist. As he matured and became more aware of the world surrounding him, he guessed that he will most likely break their heath as he did with so many women and men while under his aunt’s care.~~**~~Soulmates- your soulmate's last words for you are on your body.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The characters are not mine, i'm just playing with the. But all the mistakes are mine, as i don't have a beta. anyway, please enjoy (and cry)

When his soul words first appeared, at the age of 16, he hadn’t got a clue what will bring his soulmate to speak those cruel syllables to him. ‘I hate you’ It read, inside of his right wrist. As he matured and became more aware of the world surrounding him, he guessed that he will most likely break their heath as he did with so many women and men while under his aunt’s care.

Then he joined the military. Ishval happened. And his nightmares became unmoving bedpartners. His words got a new meaning. He imagined the second they will be spoken. As the last words of some faceless human as he sets them on fire with his alchemy. He feels disgusted with himself when these nightmares haunt him into the waking world.

~~~***~~~~

Roy had felt guilty when it first happened. After all Edward wasn’t even an adult back then. But to be honest he never thought of the Elric brothers as children, they never truly were. And it was Fullmetal who started their relationship. He had known he should have told no, but his heart was already beating for the small alchemist. After the Promised Day it was just matter of time when will it end. He was so foolishly happy to have him. He should have known better, a monster like him doesn’t deserve such a strong man as Edward.

Still he was so happy when Ed came to visit him when he was in the hospital. It was a tear-filled sight. He could have sworn that the younger cried, but he couldn’t be certain as he was blind that time.

When he went back to Resembool he thought he will never come back. But he was proven wrong. After he got back his eyesight, he was awfully full of himself. He thought it would be a good idea… Who is he kidding? A perfect idea to propose to his lover after nearly two years together. After all they’ve seen each other in their worst shapes. When one of them woke from nightmares shouting the other always comforted them with sweet kisses and little nothings until they could go back to sleep.

So he didn’t see the error in his plans. In his seemingly perfect plan. Which turned into a complete disaster.

Even his team approved to his idea to propose. Havoc whistled and asked for his black notebook, saying he won’t need it anymore. Hawkeye just nodded. It was as much as he would get from her while they were at work, but he knew she was truly happy for him. The others congratulated in a happy voice and demanded free coffee to celebrate. In the end everybody got an icy glare from Riza which meant they ought to start working if they don’t want some bullet holes in themselves.

When the time finally came – he was alone with the golden-haired young man after a delicious dinner – he unashamedly went down to one knee and nervously asked The Question.  
“Edward would you do me the honor of being beside me until death take us apart?” The shock on Ed’s face was indescribable. He looked like he would rather be anywhere else but there. His eyes weren’t full of joy or any positive emotions. He looked somehow…guilty?

“Roy…I… I’m sorry.” He was making himself look smaller, which was laughing material, when did the smallest alchemist ever try to actively look smaller than he really is? “I really can’t. I feel too young to marry anyone yet.” He spit out the first excuse he could think of.

“I don’t mind waiting as much time as you need.” The colonel said softly, trying to reassure his lover. But if possible, Ed just looked more nervous than before. 

“But I do mind. I’m so sorry. Please believe me. I never intended to let this get this far.” He mumbled to himself, hardly loud enough for Roy to hear what he is saying. He made no sense at all.

“Ed, you are scaring me. What are you talking about? Love, please calm down, and talk to me.” But the younger just laughed hysterically. He never got like this, it was a horrible sight. And it just got even more terrifying, he started crying.

“I’m sorry Roy. I can’t be your husband, not no and not ever. I’ve been selfish, I had used you. I needed information to get Al’s body back and I thought the best way to get them was to seduce you.” He was practically sobbing by this point.  
“I know I was stupid, that I should have called it off. That I was being cruel. But it didn’t matter at that time. Then it grown over my head.” Roy could hear his heart shattering into million pieces as the words got into his head. He was feeling exposed, vulnerable. like he went to the battlefield without anything on him. He reacted the only way he knew. With anger. Because he couldn’t be seen even more pathetic.

“Are you fucking kidding me?! You couldn’t say anything? For fucking two years? Was it funny? To see me falling for you? To watch me being happy for the first time in years in a false reality?” He felt himself breaking. Maybe he really was. It surely felt like that.  
“Did you tell your friends? How you got me eating from your hand? How you were able to fool me for your selfish satisfaction? Go tell them then, how you got me to believe your every word.” He has tears streaking down on his face. But he knew he can’t take down Edward into his dark pit. He needed to be free. So he made sure to aim his words to hurt. To make Ed flee. He made his face into his mask he used to lower whenever he was accompanied by the other.  
“I’m sure the higher ups will love to hear of your way to gain information. They might give you some if you decide to want to have them. Or am I mistaken? Have you already had all of them to be able to restore your brother’s body? How many of them have you lain with? The whole HQ?” His voice was sharp as a knife. The reaction was just as he predicted it. Edward strode towards the door. But not before shouting back at him.

“I hate you!” He felt his heart stop. He was right. His own soulmate would never love him. He never deserved to have one. But he couldn’t let Ed’s words be so cruel as his was. He was already on the floor when he called after him.  
“I love you, Fullmetal.” He wasn’t sure he will hear him. Just hoped that it will make a difference.

He looked down onto the rings. He had them made just for them. It was metal with gold. Nothing fancy, but it represented them perfectly. He had the urge to throw it into the fireplace and snap his fingers until there were nothing left of them. But he was too weak to do that. He was a coward. He clutched them to his chest with the remaining of his dreams of a brighter future.

He let himself cry. He wished for his best friend to be alive. He would know what to do. He was so many times fucked up. Maes would know how to help him. Just like he knew back in Ishval. But without him, he was less than a man, more like the monster the Ishvalan children knew him to be. He cried himself into a fitful sleep, where he was haunted by the scorching desert, his own fire and by Edward this time.

In the morning he called in sick, and he must have had a shitty voice, as Hawkeye just told him to get better. He dragged himself through the day when the phone started him out of his stupor. He answered it with a sigh. But he wasn’t ready to the voice. It was Alphonse.  
“Colonel…” He sounded sad. Like he pitied him. He knew himself. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hear him out without showing his disgusting side. He slammed the phone down. And without hesitation plugged it out. That night he wrote a bunch of letters. All of them with his most beautiful handwriting. All to the most important people in his life. His brain gave him the idea, just like back then. But now, he was alone, nobody to stop him from ending it for good. He hated himself for it. For the idea of leaving them behind.

He went for his strongest whisky and poured with two glasses. The night went by fast as he became more and more intoxicated. The fire illuminated the room and made the rings shine on the table where he left them. He toyed with the though for an hour before he slipped one on his finger. He put the other next to the glass of whisky. Before sunrise the whole bottle was empty. And he didn’t even had think twice about pulling the trigger. Maybe if he had someone next to him, he wouldn’t have done it. After all, not even Ishval was able to make him do this, but he had Maes that time. He was a coward back then. But he would never be one again when it came to Edward. He greeted the other side with a smile. He will be with the ones he loves. His parents. Maes. The gunshot was deafening in the quiet morning.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, lets see Ed. It will hurt. I warned you. I don't know would you like to read a bit more of this? Like how Riza found Roy, and the letters, the furneral. Things like that. Let me know. Hope you will enjoy? this chapter. I nearly cried myself while writing.

Soul words could be found in three different colors. It took time for the scientists to discover what they meant. The most common color is black, it means your soulmate is alive somewhere in the world, and you still have the chance to meet them. White means they died before they could meet with you and say the words on your skin. Grey means you had them next to you and lost them, that they said their last words and they cannot be found in this world anymore.

 

~~**~~

 

They were nearly in Xing. It will take at most another two days to arrive. Ed couldn’t shake off the feeling that something is wrong, but he couldn’t exactly pinpoint what it was, so he tried to ignore it. It could have been the way Al looked at him, as if he was some very hard puzzle that needed time to be figured out. They were currently in an inn for the night. It wasn’t any extravagant, but it was comfortable enough to sleep.

He thought until he was woken by a nightmare. His mother – well not his mother – was staring at him and calling him an ungrateful brat, who killed her. He sleepily reached for the arms that weren’t around him. Maybe the other was out in the bathroom, the bastard, of course he was missing when he needed him. He couldn’t help the soft smile from forming, then after two silent minutes he started worrying the colonel never was away for this much time. He might have had a nightmare himself? Or even worse, was he having a panic attack while Ed just lay in their bed waiting?

He sat up sharply, looking around the room. Something was wrong. The bed felt too small compared to their king sized one, the window was on the wrong wall. What happened? Fear clutched his chest.  
“Roy? Where are you?” He stood up in hurry from the bed. He nearly collapsed into another one. He looked down in hope. It was Alphonse. His sleep-flogged brain finally caught on. He slid down next to his brother’s bed. He was such an idiot. Old habits die hard, they say. He was the one who broke it off, then why does it hurt so much? He felt a warm hand rest on his head. Looking up he met with Al’s eyes, there was something in them that broke him.

He could tell he was angry at him. But still it held the unbreakable love in the depth. He climbed in next to him. They haven’t done this since they were like five. It was slightly awkwardly comfortable. He didn’t tell him to speak, he knew him well enough to know that he will start speaking when he felt himself ready for it. He wasn’t mistaken, after a few minutes Ed started talking in a quiet voice, as if he was afraid of his own words.

“I was horrible Al. I wanted to get you back to your body so badly, I thought nothing about my decision at first, it was a necessary evil, nothing more. Then I got into it more, I kinda started enjoying the act. I knew about his weaknesses by that point, I found them slightly ridiculous and sometimes very endearing.” He smiled as if to an inner joke. “Did you know he is a cuddler? Or that he is utterly useless before his first cup of coffee? More useless than in rain, it’s funny someone who hates liquids depends on one.” He became more serious.

“After the promised day, when we went back to Resembool I told myself I will never look back anymore. But you know that’s not what happened. I told myself we both need closure, so I went back to Central. But the way he looked at me that time, as if I hung the moon. It ripped the rug out of under my feet, I’ve fallen back into our habits. I knew it was wrong, as I saw how he was treated because I was on his side instead of a woman. It wasn’t what people wanted of someone who aims for the top, who has what it takes to be the leader our miserable country needs.” He let out a sorrowful laugh. “I decided when I saw one of the higher ups giving him a hard time saying that was what he deserved as a disgrace of the military, that man meant me, I was the one who made him a disgrace. I wanted to let him down without hurting him much, but he asked for my hand. I panicked and told him a lot of shit. I wouldn’t be surprised if he never wants to see me after that. Al…” He started crying.

“Al, I betrayed him. Made him put on his mask on in front of me. I’ve not seen that cold façade in years! He sure said some shit too, but I was aware of the cause, he wanted to make me go by that point. He wanted to hurt me so I will leave him. I tossed him into his dark pit again, the one that’s full of hurt, with regrets.” He practically choked the words out. “I’m the one who made all of this Al, then why does it hurt as if my heart is being ripped out of my chest? Why had he looked as if he was the guilty one?!”

Al said nothing, just held his brother close until his hiccups started dying down. He didn’t want to be the one to rip off the bandage, but someone had to do it, and it was clear that his idiotic big brother didn’t see the forest because of a tree.  
“You love him brother. It’s that simple. And if I’m not mistaken the colonel loves you too, or he would have never stayed by your side while it hindered his goal. You should give him some credits and respect his choices. He is an adult and knows the risks. And still believes you are worth for him so much more than to let you go for his career.”

“But he still let me go.” He protested weakly.

“Because he loves you. He believed you don’t want to be with him. And set you free. You know the phrase ‘If you love something set it free’. It’s your turn of acting now brother. You need to decide what you want and act like a respectable adult.” Ed nodded in understanding. His brain already started making plans of what will be his next step. He needed to act quickly.

“Al, I need to use the phone. Immediately.” He started walking towards the door, then he remembered. In this inn there was no phone, and it was the middle of the night. He groaned loudly and stomped his foot like a five-year old.

“Calm down brother. We will be in the palace in two days you can phone from there.” He reassured his idiotic brother. Honestly, he felt like he was the older one most of the times. Ed just pouted at him but stomped back to his bed and went black to sleep with the order to wake him up at sunrise, they needed to get to the palace as fast as they could.

~~

When they finally arrived at the palace, they were early by half a day, but in Ed’s opinion it was useless, as because of this the time wasn’t friendly. It was after curfew and that meant he was unable to call. Again. He started to become very frustrated. Even Ling’s presence hadn’t helped. It was just making his short temper (pun intended) even more likely to explode. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone when he went to bed with a scowl that night. Something felt off his yet unmarked skin kind of itched on his wrist. He hated it, he didn’t want to know what fate thought about his relationships. Even more he didn’t want to know what his so-called soulmate’s last! words will be to him. 

Al’s soul words were already on his body when they got him back from the Gate. It was a lovely ‘I hope our grandkids will find their own partners. Just like I found you in your armor.” Like really, it was so sappy. And then he was there without words yet. And he supposed to be the older of the two of them. So yeah, he was a very bit jealous too. He made himself fall asleep with the thoughts that tomorrow the first thing he will do is going to be phoning. To let Roy know that he loved him, that he will happily marry him if he still wants him after the last time.

He was awake after just a couple of hours. The itch in his wrist became burning and woke him up. It felt like the words burned themselves into his skin. He couldn’t help but smile at his own thoughts. Even the pain reminded him of Roy and his fire alchemy. He turned on the lamp next to his bed. It was a mistake to do so. He couldn’t read the words, they weren’t unreadable just his focus was on the color, it was grey. Grey! He inhaled sharply. He just imagined things. Yeah that must be it. But it didn’t matter how many times he looked down onto it, it stayed mockingly grey. He shook Al awake. He needed to be told that he is wrong, that it’s black.

But after the younger male became awake for the world and looked at his skin, he muttered the words that he absolutely didn’t want to hear.  
“It’s gray… Oh, I’m so sorry brother.” It was cruel. To know he lost his soulmate. But what made it even unbearable was the fact that he apparently knew them. They said their last words to him before they died. He clutched it close to his chest, he didn’t want to read the words. Afraid he will recognize them, and afraid he won’t. He didn’t know which one would be worse, not even remembering, or knowing whom he lost. To whom he belonged to. Who was his before they vanished.

It took nearly two hours, and Al’s undeniable speech, for him to be able to look down at it. To read the words. He wanted to share it whit Al, so he read them out loud.

“I love you Fullmetal” It was a stab into his heart. They didn’t have to guess. There was just one person who called him Fullmetal even after he sacrificed his alchemy. “NO, No, no. this is not happening, please let it be a nightmare. It cannot be. Al say it’s just some sick joke. It cannot be real.” But he knew it was the harsh reality. He could hear his voice ringing in his ears, as he called out after him, voice trembling with tears and sobs but determined. Then he remembered his own words, that left his mouth lastly. He felt sick.

He collapsed onto the floor. “Al, MY last words to him…” He cried like a baby, it was pathetic. “I told him I hate him. He lived with those words on his skin.” He let himself be held by his brother like he deserved it. Al tried to soothe him. He couldn’t believe it. He needed to be sure. Fate just messes with him, yeah, that’s it. Roy must be alright. He needs to lead the country. He looked at the watch on the wall. It wasn’t night anymore, but early morning. He got up from the floor. Ignored his brother’s shocked questions and ran until he found the first phone. He dialed Roy’s house first. Nothing. He started to panic. Then he remembered, he must be in the office, Hawkeye making him do his work. A secretary answered with her usual calmness, it set hope in him.

“Colonel Roy Mustang’s office please.” He told her together with his name, not leaving room for argument. She tried to say something but did it anyway in silence. He heard the click which signaled the office receives his call.

“First lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. How can I help?” She said when she picked up the phone. Her voice was stern as always and it made him even calmer. Nothing was amiss, it seemed.

“Morning lieutenant. I’m Ed. I wanted to speak with the colonel. It’s important.” He let himself smile a bit. Surely Hawkeye will get Roy to speak with him, he still can make everything right.

“I’m afraid I can’t grant your wish. He is unable to answer the phone.” Was he imagining it or was her voice shaking a bit? It must have been the sleep deprivation. 

“Is he on a meeting? When should I call back?” He tried to keep his voice at it always is. But he must have failed miserably. Or at least he thought he did by the intake of air he could hear from the other end of the line. He sounded desperate.

“Ed, I’m sorry to tell you, but the colonel will never answer phone calls anymore. He was found dead a few days ago in his home.” She tried to keep her cool, he could tell. But for who, it was a mystery.

“Please, lieutenant tell me it’s not true. He can’t be dead. I need to apologize. I need to tell him I love him. I must tell him so many things.” He sobbed into the phone. His heart was in pieces. And if the answering little cry he got in return was anything to go by, he wasn’t the only one who felt as if the world was upside down.

“What happened to him?” He was shocked to hear himself asking. He didn’t want to hear it, but before he could take it back or slam down the receiver Al took it out of his fingers. They both needed to know it.

“He killed himself. Shot to the temple.” Came the sterile answer from Riza. “Nobody knew, he plugged out the phone, we don’t know why. We found him in the morning.” They knew that by ‘we’ she meant herself. Ed didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. He faintly remembered hearing his brother saying he called the colonel before they started their journey to Xing. About some letters for them. But it made no sense to him.

Roy can’t be dead. He can’t. That was the only thing he knew. But Hawkeye’s objective words started to penetrate his thick skull. ‘shot to the temple’ suicide. He felt Al's hand on his shoulder but all of his thoughts were around him. Around Roy. Next to him. His kiss on his lips. His teasing words. The fucking metal-gold ring. His next scream echoed through the palace, waking up everyone. Nobody scolded them when they were found with tears running down their faces. With screams ripping out of his throat. He was crying for his lover, his soulmate. His everything. His Flame alchemist. He felt as if he knew what the rain means to him. He felt utterly useless as he sat there with tears pouring like rain from the sky.

It was an awful day to rain.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It'll be a lot smaller chapter, not even that angsty I wanted. But I'll probably post the last chapter in a few days. It somehow got itself a happy end, so yeah... Have a good day btw :)

Riza has known something was wrong. She knew Roy for quite some time. He would never take a day off without proper reasons. So yeah, she’s known, and still allowed him to take that one day off, after all he deserved one, he’s been working nonstop for the last two weeks. The next day, she learnt that she shouldn’t have let him alone after all. But regrets, she knew, will not get him back to them. To her. Even if she was aware of the fact, he was never really hers.

 

When she arrived at his house it was already time to go if they wanted to make it into the office in time. She signaled to Havoc to wait as she went and knocked on the door. When no answer came, without hesitation she tried to go in. To her surprise the door wasn’t locked. It made her suspicious. She silently made her way into the house, holding her gun near his leg, preparing, she may need it.

She slowly made her way into the hallway then towards the living room. It was unusually quiet. She noticed the blood next to the couch. Even from the distance Riza could say it wasn’t fresh. It must have been there for some hours. She went closer to the blood. And the sun made the bottle and two glasses shine on the table. And next to them a ring. Dread filled her. It was too small for Roy’s finger, she could tell. As she went slowly even closer she could see a gun. A military gun. And the hand that clutched at it. On its ring finger was the pair of the ring. And that paleness, even more now. She made the last step. Black hair, sticky with his own blood. A bullet hole. On his temple.

She sank down next to the body. He had a faint smile on his never again moving face. She didn’t want to believe it, but all the proofs were laid in front of her. She needed to face the harsh reality again. Her cheeks were somehow wet. Some tears made their way down her face and mixed with the blood on the floor. She shouted for Havoc, couldn’t take it alone. She wasn’t aware, that he called him by his given name by accident. He didn’t try to hug her after the scene sank in for him too. He too was grieving, but he put one of his hands on her shoulder giving her a grounding force.

The procedure went fast after that. She didn’t even know where her head stood in the chaos. She hasn’t allowed herself to think about it for longer times than was strictly necessary. That habit was broken by the Elric brother’s phone call. A lot of things became clearer from that call. Alphonse explained some things that made a lot of sense to her after she could control her emotions. Ed’s cries haven’t done any good to them. Then she remembered to tell them about the letters that Roy have written to them. She found a bunch of them and promised to herself that she will get them to their intended readers.

Riza haven’t touched her own yet. She made sure to first get the other ones. That was pretty easily to do, as they were for Roy’s most important people. She already delivered them to Maes’ gravestone, Gracia, the other members of the team. Even Madam Christmas got her, to say she wasn’t impressed at first would be an understatement. She hasn’t had any idea why her adopted son would send her a letter with his most trusted subordinate. After she read the letter though she became very emotional, which was a terrifying sight. Riza would rather not see that face again on her.

That left three other letters counting her own in it too. For the Elric brothers. After Al claimed they will immediately head back to Central to be able to go to the funeral of the colonel all her reasons for not opening her letter disappeared. So after the long day in the office, which was unnaturally quiet without the lazy colonel’s whining about paperwork, she finally opened it in her flat with Black Hayate next to her.

Some of the words were unreadable because of her tears that kept running from her eyes. Roy knew about her feelings apparently. He even thought about her as his moon, that always helps him, but was unable to reciprocate her feelings. As the Flame alchemist he claimed to be always drawn to the sun, he simply couldn’t live without it. His first sun was his best friend in and after Ishval, then after his death, or even before that his sun has shifted to Edward. And we all know what happens when someone flies too close, they burn themselves. That was what happened to him too.

The whole letter was full of things as sappy as these. But the last sentences were the ones that ripped her soul to pieces.

“Live your life the fullest you can manage for my sake as well. It’s my last order to you First Lieutenant Elizabeth Hawkeye.”

She never let him use her full name, it was just for her. But it seemed even on his worst days he knew how to break women’s heart. She slept that night with the letter in her hands, promising him that she will obey his order, just as always. All his last wishes she will grant him. She will live her life happily, even if he won’t be in it anymore. She will do it and then in their next life she’ll still stand beside him and make him successful that time. It was an oath.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all of this :) Have me kow your opinions about it, and bomb me with ideas :D

It was a sunny day, a beautiful Saturday. It was the colonel’s death’s 15th anniversary.

  

Ed was front of his grave, just an unpersonal cold stone. He still had many regrets about his former lover’s death, but as the years went by it became easier to breathe, or that was what he loved to tell himself. It surely helped to watch his cute kids play around and practice alchemy. Yeah, he was a married man by now.

  

It took him nearly three years to move on with his life after losing his soulmate. And another one to just even try to date. Sure, others helped too. Al and Winry were always in reach to help him with anything, and slowly Mei became a permanent addition to their group as Al and she got close to each other. He has so cute nephew and niece from them. And to his surprise Hawkeye was always there for him too. He believed she sympathized with him for his loss and tried to look out for him.

  

As his brain filled with sad and happy memories of Roy and their relationship that perfect two years of his life. His mind was ripped out of his thoughts by his daughter’s approach. She was lively like himself and luckily inherited her grandmother’s temper. His son unfortunately inherited his own and Winry’s temper. The shouting in their house was an unbreakable addition.

  

His daughter was next to him, curiously blinking at the head stone. Tried to take out the name, and link it to a face, but she couldn’t. She never knew Roy Mustang, and at home he was never part of their conversations with Winry, so she was completely oblivious of his identity. But while she was such a good-tempered girl her curiosity was very big, and she wasn’t afraid asking questions.

  

“Whose grave it is daddy? Was he a friend of yours?” Her enthusiasm was subdued by the air of the cemetery. But her eyes burnt with fire for knowledge. He wasn’t ashamed to answer anything his children asked him. He has already done this some time ago when they were in Central for some time and they came before their trip back to Resembool.

  

“I think you can read his name just fine. And I would not say he was a friend of mine.” He had the opportunity to see the girl’s face turn into a pout before he sat down to speak to her more easily.  
“He was so many things for me. But for the most important part he was my soulmate, whom I hurt very much. So much that he left us all before I could apologize. He was one of the most unique people of my life, and I never regretted knowing him.”

  

The girl just watched her father’s sad expression as he talked about this mystery person who was so involved in his life before she asked another question. Somewhere deep she already knew the answer, after all she was her parents’ daughter.

  

“Did you love him?”

  

“Yes.” Came the honest answer. He couldn’t believe she was this sharp for an eight-year-old. Even her brother had to have some more time before he asked about it.

  

“Do you still love him?”

  

“Remember this, if you really love someone with all your heart, you’ll never stop loving them somewhere deep down in your heart’s most secret place.” He brought the necklace out of his shirt to show her the ring attached to it. He set a kiss on it before tucking it back. His baby girl’s eyes were full of awe as she watched it.

  

“You love mother?” She asked next. He could tell she was nervous to ask this.

  

“Yes, I do. Not a single love is the same. It may be different in some things, but I do love her. If I hadn’t loved her you wouldn’t be next to me right now.” He petted her blonde hair with a fond smile.  
“But we should get going or we’ll miss our train.” He got up from his place and held her hand as they started walking towards the exit. He looked back at the stone and murmured to himself and to the ring on his necklace, that he got from Riza after Roy’s funeral.  
“I will never stop loving you, my Flame.”

  

///*//~//*///

  

They say there is a rare occurrence in soulmates. These times not only the words appear but with them an object what is believed to be from your last life. The oddest thing through is that the objects doesn’t wait until your words does, they are mostly found in the hands of the newborn within a week.

  

So it was quite unique to have happened with Edward Elric. When he was in his cradle he was discovered holding onto a metal-gold ring. In it’s inside it read ‘From my Flame’. The words in it were graved into it by himself in his last life.

  

As he got older, he met a lot of interesting people, but none of them had a similar ring on them. When his words appeared, he nearly groaned out loud, they were so sappy. ‘We had quite a good life together, haven’t we?’ His acted annoyance with it didn’t stop him from tracing his fingers and lips over it every time he could get alone.

  

After torturous years alone he finally met them. He couldn’t tell how he knew, he just felt a pull in his guts to speak with the man, as if his soul was crying out for him. So he went over to him, even as he had a blonde woman next to him. He couldn’t help but notice his breathtaking nearly black eyes, and hair, and his bare hands, and…and everything. He couldn’t control his words that came out of his mouth. It was forming words on instincts.

  

“What’s up Bastard, where you left your igniting gloves?” He was horrified at first, he didn’t even know him yet, what is he saying? But the other’s eyes just light up with amusement and answers him, seemingly without thinking too.

  

“It’s none of your concern Fullmetal. Let the adults be shorty.”

  

Ed couldn’t help but laugh. It was so foreign and still familiar. It seems he will not have a boring life. He mused when he noticed the ring on Roy’s finger, the same metal-gold as his. They laughed together. It was such a sappy thing. It was honestly disgusting from the outside to see them, if they asked Riza’s opinion, but she herself couldn’t help but smile at the starting of the happy end her friend deserved.

  

~*~*

  

In this life when the time finally came to their parting, they were expecting it. But still weren’t ready for it. It was quiet night after a life lived happily together. They both had more grey in their hair than they could count. It was the oldness that tore them apart. Roy spoke first that last night, before sleeping.

  

“We had quite a good life together, haven’t we?” He whispered to his husband. Ed had tears in his eyes when he answered.

  

“Yeah, I just wish it was still longer, my Flame.” Roy just smiled and mouthed a silent ‘I love you’ before closing his eyes to never open them again. He was loved by his soulmate in his life, he didn’t mind dying, he was content with his life. He just hoped his beautiful Fullmetal will be granted as his soulmate in his next lifeline too. He would never be tired of him; he was so unique not even an eternity would be enough for Roy to be with him. He was utterly in love with Edward. Past, Present and Future.

 

FIN


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